Long-Suffering Softball Team Gets Elusive District 'W'
By Zach Warner
The Southlake Journal
After a frustrating district season marked by futility, it was better late than never for the Carroll softball team.
Although disappointed to miss out on a playoff berth this season, the Lady Dragons ended on a high note by capturing the win that eluded them throughout 6-5A competition. At the team's last game of the season, when Carroll recognized its senior players, the Lady Dragons defeated Lewisville by a 3-2 final.
It wasn't a pretty win, with eight errors - seven by Lewisville that Carroll took advantage of - but to the Lady Dragons, just getting the win was a beautiful thing.
Finishing with a win was something Carroll coach Tim Stuewe hoped for his team, even after the playoffs were out of reach.
"It would go a long way for all of us to forget the troubles we've had over the last four weeks," Stuewe said before his team's season finale last week. "It could show how capable we are as a team."
The Lady Dragons (12-17-1 overall, 1-9 in district) felt they were much more capable than their record indicated. Carroll lost two 6-5A contests by one run, another by two runs, and one by three runs. Early blowouts by state-ranked teams in district were replaced by much closer games in the second half.
Things didn't go Carroll's way with missed opportunities here, bad breaks there, and an error or two at times. Those situations just wouldn't allow for success in a district with two state-ranked teams and four area-ranked teams.
"I don't know about in the state, but it's definitely the toughest [district] in the Metroplex," Stuewe said.
Those challenges continued last week, as a solid Hebron team kept the Lady Dragons at bay. The Lady Hawks (18-9 overall, 5-5 in district), the fourth-seeded playoff team in 6-5A, walked away with a 5-2 win.
The long-awaited victory came last Saturday. Avenging a 3-2 loss to Lewisville on April 6, Carroll gave the Lady Farmers a taste of that same medicine, capturing their own one-run win.
"I really don't see us backing down," Stuewe said before his team's final contest. "We lost [to Lewisville] in the first round, but I don't think that we feel we put our best game on the field."
Carroll loses four seniors from this year's team, including outfielder Jessica Baker (.358 average, second best on team), outfielder Jenna Lopes (17 RBI, team-leading 8 steals), catcher Anna Winter (.284) and second baseman/pitcher Kayla Myles. But the Lady Dragons return some key players.
Junior outfielder Julia Colman led the team in batting average (.434) and RBI (20), among other categories. Freshman infielder Kirsten Kober provided an offensive spark (.320) and was also quick on the bases (six steals). Junior pitcher Kelsey Mann was Carroll's No. 1 pitcher (6-8, 3.30 ERA, 76 strikeouts).
"We've got a lot of talented girls that continue to work hard," Stuewe said.
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